The Great Paris Concert

Description

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

This set came about, in part, as a result of Ellingtons signing to Frank Sinatras Reprise label in November 1962, with the ending of his exclusive contract to Columbia. Six numbers from the three Paris dates were initially edited and released by Reprise as part of the ten-song Duke Ellingtons Greatest Hits, but the bulk of the performances from those shows didnt surface until many years later as The Great Paris Concert on two LPs. This album The Great Paris Concert is raw and largely unedited, and depicts the full Ellington band in extraordinary form, oozing excitement from the saxophone showcase on the opener, Rockin in Rhythm, the various sections of the band take flight at different points throughout this set, which includes such contemporary numbers as Ellingtons theme music for an all but forgotten television series, The Asphalt Jungle, and excerpts from Such Sweet Thunder . Johnny Hodges is showcased in several solos, most notably on Suite Thursday, a work whose original studio incarnation he missed appearing on; Cootie Williams (Tutti for Cootie), Paul Gonsalves (Cop Out), Ray Nance (Bula), and Cat Anderson (Jam with Sam) get their own moments in the spotlight.
By Bruce Eder/AMG